The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, for electrical connectors that are coupled with one or more cables.
Some known electrical connectors are joined with cables to electrically couple the connectors with the cables. For example, the connectors may include contacts that engage a mating device. The contacts electrically join the connector with the mating device. The cable typically includes one or more conductors enclosed by an insulative jacket extending along the interior of the cable throughout the length of the cable. The cable is connected with the connector with the conductors electrically terminated with the contacts to electrically couple the cable with the contacts. Thus, the connector electrically connects the mating device with the cable. Electrical power and/or signals may then be communicated between the mating device and the cable. In applications where the mating device is a solar module or panel, the connector may communicate electric potential or current from the solar module or panel to another mating device via the cable.
In some applications, the cables joined with the connectors may experience significant forces that pull the cable away from the housing of the connector. For example, environmental factors such as ice and snow may add weight to the cables joined to connectors on solar panels. This additional weight may pull the cables away from the connectors. If the cables are not affixed to the connectors in a sufficiently strong manner, the cables may become detached from the housings of the connectors.
Some known connectors include retention mechanisms that assist in preventing the cable from being separated from the connector housing. But, these retention mechanisms may be relatively large. For example, some known solar module connectors include pinch ring and nut combinations to secure cables to the connector housings. The pinch ring is a ring that is placed around the cable. The pinch ring includes several slots that permit the ring to be compressed down onto the cable. The nut is placed into the connector. The pinch ring is screwed into the nut to compress the pinch ring onto the cable and to couple the cable with the connector. The pinch ring is compressed around the cable when the nut is screwed down or tightened onto the connector. But, the size of the nut limits the size of the connector. That is, the size of the connector typically must be at least as large as the nut. As a result, the profile height of the connector is limited by the size of the nut. In certain applications, the size of the nut may require the connector to have a profile height that is too large. For example, the location in which some solar module connectors are required may be too small to fit a connector having a nut and pinch ring combination.
The interface between the cable and the housing at the opening provides a location where moisture can enter into the housing. In connectors that have too small of a profile to permit use of the pinch ring and nut combination, the cable/housing interface may be exposed to the atmosphere surrounding the connector. In conditions where the cable and housing experience changes in temperature, differences between coefficients of thermal expansion between the cable and the housing may result in a gap forming at the cable/housing interface. For example, the housing may be formed of a material that expands and contracts a greater distance than the material of the outer jacket of the cable over a common change in temperature. When the connector is used in environments experiencing relatively large temperature changes, the differences in coefficients of thermal expansion may cause a relatively large gap to be formed. The gap permits moisture to seep into the interior of the housing, where the moisture can electrically short the contacts or other electrical components of the housing.
Thus, a need exists for a connector assembly that affixes cables to connectors in such a manner to maintain a relatively small profile height of the connector while preventing moisture from entering into the housing.